Favor, the
by mwalt
Summary: Booth learns that Brennan is in love with him but an old friend of hers from the CIA drags her into a case that she can't be completely honest about with Booth. Will the case get her possibly killed before Booth gets a chance to tell her he loves her?
1. Chapter 1

I am not abandoning my other stories. I should have an update on them by Friday at the latest. Things have been really hectic in my personal life: my sister got engaged, my roommate just got married, a co-worker in the Army just had her baby, I had three finals/term papers last week and not to mention the holidays so enjoy the new one, The Favor and the update on Almost. I apologize for the long wait and hope that you enjoy!

CHAPTER 1

Brennan let out a frustrated sigh. This last case had really gotten to her and she needed to let off some steam. But how could she while she was at work without causing undo attention to herself? She glanced around her office and an idea came to her—one that she had seen other people do with some success.

She walked over to her desk and with one swoop of the arm, she knocked everything off. It did feel better.

There was a knock on the door, interrupting her enjoyment.

Cam walked in. She raised an eyebrow. "Did you need some help cleaning this up?"

Brennan was about to retort that she did not but Cam had already started to pick stuff up off the floor. Brennan grumbled silently but started to clean up the mess as well.

"What's this?" Brennan looked up to see Cam holding a notebook. "Did you write this? It's beautiful and so sad."

"Give that back to me."

"This is really good Doctor Brennan," Cam ignored her and turned the page, continuing to read. She stopped as Brennan stood in front of her. "They're about Booth aren't they?"

"That is none of your business."

"Are you in love with Booth Dr. Brennan?"

"That is none of your business Dr. Saroyan."

Cam knew that she had hit a hard spot with Dr. Brennan and should stop but she couldn't. "You should tell him."

Brennan looked over at her with such sad eyes—but only for a moment. "What would be the point? He doesn't feel the same way."

Cam opened her mouth then closed it. How could the woman be so brilliant and yet be so blind when it came to Booth's feelings for her? "You don't know that."

"Yes. I do."

"Dr. Brennan--"

"He's the one who always says that we can't be more because we work together. That we're just friends. He's the one that drew that line."

Cam's eyebrows came together in confusion. "What line?"

"After Epps…he said that there was a reason that people who worked together shouldn't become intimately involved. That there was a line that wouldn't and shouldn't be crossed. I promised him that I wouldn't cross that line, that I understood."

Cam's eyes narrowed. "Just how long have you been in love with Booth?"

Brennan didn't comment right away but turned around. A part of her didn't want to tell Cam the truth yet she knew she had already revealed too much not to finish.

"When I was buried alive. After I got out of the hospital, I went to see him. I rang his doorbell but he didn't answer. Yet I hear music and some noise, so I let myself in. I called out but didn't get a reply. I made my way to find him. I did—in his bed. He wasn't alone." Brennan met her eyes and Cam couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty.

"It was almost a month later when he admitted that you were seeing each other. I tried to move on—Sully made me move on though not entirely. If I didn't love Booth, I would have gone with Sully. I would have left. I dated Jared because he fooled me into thinking that he was like Booth and if I couldn't have Booth, I could have the next best thing, right?" Brennan let out a chuckle. "We know how that turned out."

"Dr. Brennan--"

"I have been celibate for over a year because each time I get close it feels like I'm being disloyal to Booth but it's ridiculous because he doesn't even see me as a woman! Oh yes, he loves me but in an atta girl kind've way." Brennan straightened. "It's time I moved on. That I find a stranger and just have sex. May that will help me. I need to move on."

"Moved on from what?" The two women turned to see Booth.

Feeling suddenly exposed Brennan reacted with her first impulse—to run. "Nothing." Then she rushed out of her office.

"Bones!" Booth called after her.

"Don't." Cam placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let her go."

"What the hell were you two talking about and why is she so upset?"

"It's something she needs to work out on her own. Though you and I do need to talk privately." Cam pulled him inside Brennan's office. She spotted Hodgins before she closed the door. "Dr. Hodgins, Booth and I are not to be disturbed unless it's a matter of national security—do you understand?"

"Yes. Does this have anything to do with why Dr. B ran outside?"

"That Dr. Hodgins is none of your business right now."

Then Cam closed the door and looked at Booth, crossing her arms. Booth involuntarily took a step backwards. "OK, why do I suddenly feel like I'm in the dog house?"

"Seeley Joseph Booth I am surprised and disappointed in you. What the hell were you thinking? Telling Dr. Brennan that you loved her in an atta girly kind've way."

"Whoa. Wait a minute. Bones told you about that? That was months ago."

"I don't think she meant to but it slipped out."

"Slipped out. How so and what does that have to do with why she was upset?"

"I came in here to ask her a question," Cam burrowed her eyebrows together, "though I don't recall what. Anyway, I found her office a little worse than it is now." Booth scanned the room and noted the mess. "I started to help her pick up the mess and I found a notebook of poems. I read a couple of them. They were really good and really sad. They were about you."

"About me? Why would Bones write poetry about me?" He gulped. "And why would they be sad?"

"What would you say if I told you that she's been in love with you for over three years?"

"That's ridiculous. I would know." He looked at her almost pleadingly. "I would know."

"Would you Seeley? Especially since you are still doubting whether nor not you truly love her?"

"Hey, I never said--"

"I know you Seeley. You don't have to say anything."

Booth was silent. Then he looked at her. "She's been in love with me for three years? Why hasn't she said anything?"

"Because she promised you she wouldn't. And when she first realized it, you and I were seeing each other at the time though you didn't admit it till a month after she saw us together."

"Bones saw us together?" Cam nodded and told him about Brennan walking in on them. "Oh God," Booth sat on the edge of Bones' desk, feeling completely disgusted with himself. "I can't believe I didn't know. Wait—you said she promised me that she wouldn't say anything. I don't remember—how—why?"

"Think Seeley. After Epps nearly killed me, you drew a line with her. A line that shouldn't be crossed. She said she understood. You know how literal she is. Dr. Brennan won't cross that line. You're going to have to be the one to do it and you're going to have to do it soon. Otherwise she will find someone else who will cross that line. She's ready for someone else to make her forget her feelings for you. She's ready to stop being celibate."

"Celibate?" Booth's mind was reeling.

"Dr. Brennan hasn't had sex for over a year because each time she got to that point, she felt like she was cheating on you. You need to make up your mind Booth and do it soon. If you stand in the shadows too long, you'll lose her and you'll have no one to blame but yourself." Cam turned around and left Booth alone to think.

Before he could start thinking and processing what he had just learned, he heard Angela ask a question that panged his heart: "Anyone know who that guy is that Bren was kissing outside?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Booth walked out and tried not to let his emotions show. "Bones was kissing someone?"

"Yeah," Angela's eyes danced—happy that her friend might be getting some action after being celibate for so long and hoping that it would make Booth jealous enough to do something. She was completely unaware of the turmoil he was going through. "And he was hot. I mean like Harlequin hot."

"Why didn't you ask her?" Nigel piped up.

"Because I can't. After they were done kissing, she hopped in his car and they drove off. It was a Mercedes convertible," her eyes sparkled.

Booth gulped. He knew Bones wasn't impressed with stuff like that but Angela had said she was kissing another man and he didn't like it. But so quick to finding another man after letting it out with Cam…she had to have known the guy.

"I'm sure she'll tell us when she comes back," he said. "Everyone is still planning to go to dinner tonight so I'm sure she'll tell you then. OK," he clapped his hands and started to walk away. "I'll see you guys tonight."

At the bar, Booth scanned for Bones but could not see her anywhere. Everyone else was having a good time and though he knew they were curious about where she was and whom she was with, Booth knew that it wasn't eating them up inside like it was hi. Outwardly he knew or hoped that he appeared to look the same. On the inside though, he was dying.

Had he possibly destroyed his chance with her by making that rash decision about a line so long ago? Would he have done the same thing had he known that she was in love with him back then? He knew he would have broken up with Cam in an instant if he had known. Yes, he had been scared about what could happen to her because of him and yes, it was irrational.

He had made the line just as much—if not more for the reason that he could tell that she was starting to see him as a man and possibly a sexual partner. Only, he knew he couldn't be just a sex buddy with her. He needed more. At the time, he didn't believe that she could give him more. How wrong he had been!

Three years and her feelings hadn't changed. Three years and she was writing poetry about him. He should have known that if he gave her the chance, she wouldn't disappoint. Temperance Brennan had one of the biggest hearts he knew. She just needed someone she could trust. And now, he was determined to show her that she could trust him.

Booth sensed her walk in—he could smell her perfume. She was wearing the same clothes she had when she left work a couple hours earlier. When her eyes met his, he smiled and stood up—picking up two drinks and walked to her.

"Thanks." She took her drink and took a sip. Her eyes were a bit hazy.

"What's wrong?"

She smiled at him. "So soon?"

"You're pretty easy to read Bones." She nodded towards a booth in the corner that had just been vacated.

Once they were seated "I need a favor. But I can't tell you much. It's not my secret to tell you." He nodded and waited.

Brennan bit her lip. She hated lying to him—but it wasn't her secret and Kyle had been implicit that she did not tell him or anyone. "There's a CIA agent was found dead earlier this week. Matt Sine. They say it was suicide."

Booth took a sip. "I remember hearing about it."

"I knew him. It's been awhile—I haven't spoken to him since before you and I met. But he didn't commit suicide. He wouldn't have. Someone gave me these." She opened her purse and slid out some documents and a microchip. "He was working on something that got him killed. It was someone on the inside. Because of my relationship—previous relationship," she amended, "with him it would make sense that I would want to look into it. But it needs to be official."

"So you're asking me to take over a CIA case."

"Yes."

"For someone you haven't spoken to in what? Six years?"

"It's been nearly ten, but yes," Brennan sighed. "I wish I could tell you more. But I don't want to have to lie to you. And anything else I would tell you, while it would be a version of the truth, it would still be a lie."

"What about your source? The one he gave you these?" he motioned towards the file and micro chip that she had slid to him.

"He doesn't trust the feds."

Booth let out a laugh. "Well, the feds don't trust the CIA."

"He as—Ky-," Brennan stopped. "He has good reason not to trust the FBI. As good as my father does. I told him I wouldn't do this without you. Please…just trust me Booth and when I can tell you the rest, I will."

Her eyes were begging and he could tell that she needed him so he found himself agreeing to make the call. He spotted Angela and Cam coming towards them and grabbed the files and chip, sticking them inside his coat pocket.

"So," Angela sat down next to Brennan and Cam sat next to Booth. "Details please."

Brennan looked at her blankly. "About what?"

"Oh don't even try it Bren. I saw you kissing someone today. A very hot someone I might add. So spill."

"Angela--"

"Don't Angela me. I have been dying for the past couple of hours. Who is he?"

"An old friend. He needed my help with something.

Booth felt his stomach tighten. The man she had been kissing was her source. Her reason for asking him for this favor. He didn't like it.

"Yeah, help with his tongue in your mouth?"

Booth felt himself grow tense. Brennan, unaware of what Booth was going through but feeling Cam's gaze on her, straightened, "Angela—what exactly did you see?"


End file.
